[Apologies if this is old news, it's copyrighted 2009 but I don't know how new it is; it might just be new to my local Barnes and Noble. Anyway, I almost did a cartwheel down the aisle when I saw it and wanted to pass along the title to anyone else that might not have known of it yet]

So, Bhante Gunaratana has written a sequel to Mindfulness In Plain English (titled as this post is) about Jhana meditations.

"The serene and peaceful mind is the true epitome of human achievement."-- Ajahn Chah, Living Dhamma

"To reach beyond fear and danger we must sharpen and widen our vision. We have to pierce through the deceptions that lull us into a comfortable complacency, to take a straight look down into the depths of our existence, without turning away uneasily or running after distractions." -- Bhikkhu Bodhi

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

I have it and could not finish reading it all the way through due to all of the gramatical errors. Made it almost unreadable for me. I dont know what happened with the eiting but it is really bad. Very surpring coming from wisdom pubs who usually produces top knotch reads. I have consulted quite a few different copies and they all contain the same errors. I was extremely dissapointed as Mindfulness in plain english is one of my all time fave meditation manuals.

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

bodom_bad_boy wrote:I dont know what happened with the eiting but it is really bad.

Sorry, but that made me laugh.

Metta,Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

bodom said: I have it and could not finish reading it all the way through due to all of the gramatical errors. Made it almost unreadable for me. I dont know what happened with the eiting but it is really bad. Very surpring coming from wisdom pubs who usually produces top knotch reads. I have consulted quite a few different copies and they all contain the same errors. I was extremely dissapointed as Mindfulness in plain english is one of my all time fave meditation manuals.

Hello bodom, all,

I bought this book earlier in the week on the way back from India, at a bookshop in Bangkok Airport. It is said to be "An Introductory Guide to Deeper States of Meditation". It is the Wisdom edition and is edited by John Peddicord. It has top ratings by Joseph Goldstein, Ajahn Amaro, Matthew Flickstein, Shaila Catherine, Sharon Salzberg, Noah Levine, and Guy Armstong. I have just begun to delve into it, only read a chapter or two, but do not find any problems with the editing. The book seemed to be of the same standard as Bhante Gunaratana's previous books on Mindfulness.

Could you give some page numbers and examples of what bothered you?

Has anyone else read this book?

with mettaChris

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

I have read about halfway through and then got a little busy and did not finish it. I will go back to it and finish it since it is not that long. So far, I find it a very good book. The first part is very similar to the Mindfulness book and then after that he delves more deeply into the subject of the jhanas.

bodom wrote: Very surpring coming from wisdom pubs who usually produces top knotch reads. I have consulted quite a few different copies and they all contain the same errors. I was extremely dissapointed as Mindfulness in plain english is one of my all time fave meditation manuals.

"surprising," not "surpring"

"top notch," not "top knotch"

"disappointed," not "dissapointed"

I actually thought the book was good. I didn't have trouble with grammatical errors (though I don't doubt that they are there). I also really like Shaila Catherine's Focused and Fearless, and Ajahn Brahm's Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond is pretty good too.

bodom wrote: Very surpring coming from wisdom pubs who usually produces top knotch reads. I have consulted quite a few different copies and they all contain the same errors. I was extremely dissapointed as Mindfulness in plain english is one of my all time fave meditation manuals.

"surprising," not "surpring"

"top notch," not "top knotch"

"disappointed," not "dissapointed"

Almost reminds me of my copy of this book. Thank you Nibbida, maybe you should contact Wisdom Pubs for an editing job.

*Cooran if i have the time I will go through my copy and give examples.

The heart of the path is SO simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice. Do not try to become anything. Do not make yourself into anything. Do not be a meditator. Do not become enlightened. When you sit, let it be. When you walk, let it be. Grasp at nothing. Resist nothing. Of course, there are dozens of meditation techniques to develop samadhi and many kinds of vipassana. But it all comes back to this - just let it all be. Step over here where it is cool, out of the battle. - Ajahn Chah

bodom wrote: Very surpring coming from wisdom pubs who usually produces top knotch reads. I have consulted quite a few different copies and they all contain the same errors. I was extremely dissapointed as Mindfulness in plain english is one of my all time fave meditation manuals.

"surprising," not "surpring"

"top notch," not "top knotch"

"disappointed," not "dissapointed"

Almost reminds me of my copy of this book. Thank you Nibbida, maybe you should contact Wisdom Pubs for an editing job.

*Cooran if i have the time I will go through my copy and give examples.